@article {Ahearn25, author = {David J Ahearn and Dolores Umapathy}, title = {Vestibular impairment in older people frequently contributes to dizziness as part of a geriatric syndrome}, volume = {15}, number = {1}, pages = {25--30}, year = {2015}, doi = {10.7861/clinmedicine.15-1-25}, publisher = {Royal College of Physicians}, abstract = {Research to identify whether dizziness is a geriatric syndrome has largely overlooked often treatable vestibular causes. To ascertain the degree to which vestibular and other causes of dizziness interact in older people, an eight-month retrospective case-note review was undertaken in patients aged >=65~years referred with dizziness or imbalance to an audiovestibular medicine clinic. Of 41 patients aged 65{\textendash}93~years old, 15 (37\%) had multiple symptom triggers, 23 (56\%) had recent dizziness-related falls, 24 (59\%) and 10 (24\%) had peripheral and central vestibular causes for dizziness respectively, whereas 6 (15\%) had both. Sixteen (39\%) had benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, of which 13 (32\%) had an additional peripheral vestibular impairment. Twenty-six (63\%) had other (general medical/cardiac) causes; of these 13 (50\%) also had vestibular causes. Polypharmacy, orthostatic hypotension, psychotropic drug use and anxiety were common contributory factors. Vestibular causes of dizziness contribute to a multifactorial geriatric syndrome. All patients with dizziness and falls should have a vestibular assessment (especially peripheral) to improve quality of life and reduce falls.}, issn = {1470-2118}, URL = {https://www.rcpjournals.org/content/15/1/25}, eprint = {https://www.rcpjournals.org/content/15/1/25.full.pdf}, journal = {Clinical Medicine} }